Give councils powers to buy land on the cheap and build new homes to solve housing crisis, report says

New houses could boost the stock of social housing or create cheaper homes for first-time buyers

By Steve Hawkes Deputy Political Editor

10th November 2017, 12:59 am

Updated: 10th November 2017, 2:01 am

NEW “housing zones” should be created to boost house-building and give councils powers to buy land at cheaper prices in high-demand areas, a think tank claims.

Civitas argued its proposals could overcome a general “drip-feed” of land as developers delay projects to wait for higher prices.

Image Source - Getty

New powers would speed up the rate at which new homes are being built

And it said the extra homes created could be used to increase the stock of social housing or be sold to first-time buyers at more affordable prices, according to local needs.

In a report the think tank said ensuring that land is released for housing at cheaper prices, enabling quicker and more affordable development, “is the key to achieving a decisive breakthrough in the housing crisis”.

It claimed an overhaul of current laws is needed to enable councils to strike deals for land at prices closer to its existing use value, rather than values based on hopes for future development.

Civitas said special housing zones should be designated in areas with the greatest pressures on housing in order to improve the quantity and the mix of new homes.

Photographers Choice - Getty

The measures are necessary to solve the current housing crisis according to the think tank

Daniel Bentley, the author of the report, said: “In high-demand areas, this could save the taxpayer millions of pounds per hectare.

“This would come out of the unearned windfalls that are currently being enjoyed by landowners - which are not reward for their own efforts but the investments of the wider community.”

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